It’s hard to be in public relations. Constant learning, demanding clients and massive stress take a heavy toll on many of us. Sometimes, just to frost the cupcake, ethical issues come up that deeply test our honesty and integrity. We can either fall like dominoes to offload the pressure, or stand tall and let the shitstorm happen.

Everyone loves to write about the underdog, but not enough people write about the heroes.

Paula Pedene, APR, is a hero worth admiring who upholds Public Relations Society of America Code of Ethics standards in every way and her situation has the Arizona PR community in an uproar. In my opinion, she deserves industry recognition in a major way.

A public affairs officer with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Arizona for 23 years and a veteran herself, Pedene is a whistleblower who outed administration officials in 2011 for misconduct, misused funds, sexual harassment and other allegations. Demoted after giving testimony, Pedene now works in the hospital library, filing books and assisting patients with library needs while putting up with continued retaliation, discrimination, abuse and humiliation.

Her New Book, Spin Sucks, Launches Today.
Grab A Copy, Already! Move it!
If you know me at all, you probably know that I’m a voracious reader. A complete bookaholic that can consume upwards of a dozen books each month. Sometimes in a week.

As a teen, I burned through the school library inventory by the time I hit sixteen – at least the parts of it that interested me. I was known by first name at the used bookstore down the street, schlepping in books to trade by the box full and reading all those romance books I probably should NOT have been allowed to read. Even today, I favor the kind of “trash” reading that acts like a pressure valve – a mini escape – right before bedtime. It’s how I relax.

But, as the responsible adult whom I pretend to be, I make the effort to mix in a business book every now and then.

So when Gini opened the gates to a book ambassador program and offered an advance copy of her new book, Spin Sucks, I jumped at it. Fodder for the reading machine from one of my favorite people! SOLD.
I’m also reading an advance copy of Chris Brogan’s new book, The Freaks Shall Inherit The Earth. How did I get so lucky! Stay tuned next week for a post on that one!
Her book is a short one, only 164 pages long, so it’s a quick read for those with short attention spans or little time to spare. If you head over to Amazon and grab a copy, you won’t regret it. It’s an interesting read.